Being terrified of ghosts is not necessarily a weakness in a man, if you can call me that.  Yet, I don’t wish to see a ghost, have dinner with a ghost, high tea with a ghost, fly in an airplane with a ghost, or receive vaccinations from a ghost.  This is something I am neither proud nor ashamed of, just the fact, man. They simply scare me, and I have no faith in swinging like a wild man with fists which fly through the opponent whilst frightening the benjesus out of me.

My brother, Steve, however, fears nothing, (or at least that’s the way I wish to think of him)….including ghosts.  He’s the Spokane version of Chuck Norris.  Steve is the only man who haunts ghosts.  As a witness to this, I can also attest to it while staying in a hotel with him, my brother, Tom, and Steve’s son, my nephew, Pat.

The three of us ventured to the McMenamin’s Edgefield hotel in Oregon because it is supposedly haunted.  Coincidentally, my brother, Mike, was also getting married in the same city….. at the same hotel’s ballroom.  We paid homage to my brother, Mike, and his sweet bride, Brenda, by attending the celebration because we love them both, and there was free beer.  Our main quest, however, since on the way, we could not find the elusive Sasquatch was to find a friendly ghost at this exclusive hotel. Keep in mind, my fear of ghosts, goblins, demons, and Sasquatch remains, yet in the presence of Steve, I’m not really afraid of any of those supposed myths.  To this very day, I believe the reason we didn’t witness any of these conundrums was because they were just too afraid to witness him.  This is a sad point because he is one of the most affable and funny earthlings I have ever met.  Sasquatch and a ghost would be ever most happy to meet and have a beer, or 200, with my brother.  They just have to be good bartenders and not steal from him.  That’s the point where he taunts, haunts, and scares.  Additionally, it’s the reason why I’ve only stolen (a fifth of good whiskey…and I have an excuse) from him once.   Lessons are learned quickly from Steve.  We are very close brothers to this day.  I’ve just moved to a different area code.

Now the quick story begins.  As curious and inebriated gentlemen do, they seek ghosts in hotels claiming their existence.  Tom, the least gooned up and most logical man at the time merely scoffed at the presumption.  Steve just wanted to go to bed and didn’t care if a ghost crawled in with him and kissed him goodnight.  Pat, my nephew, was definitely on a quest and didn’t care if the poltergeist was the size of the Statue of Liberty.  I followed him because one: I was intoxicated and, two, he is the son of Steve.

Chapter T2 will have to follow.  Concerning Steve’s life, it is like Star Trek…continuing and continuing and continuing……but in a wildly fun, inspiring, and personally memorable way.  Live long and foster.  This story is close to being finished.  Others may provide different perspectives.  None of which, other than mine, will be accurate.